Scythe.



C. L. SMITH.

SCYTHE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 19, I916- Fi ?3%7 l v Patented Nov. 20, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES.

- amrzwzdmm? C. L. SMITH.

SCYTHE. APPLICATION FILED MAYH). 191s.

1,24?,% 1 Patented Nov. 20, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- CHARLES LAFE SMITH, OF PONCA, NEBRASKA.

SCYTHE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 20, 191?.

Application filed May 19, 1916. Serial No. 98,586.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES L. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Ponca, in the county of Dixon and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Scythes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in scythes, and has for its object to provide means for connecting the blade to the snathe in such manner that the blade may be rotated around the snathe andmay be adjusted angularly with respect to the snathe and will be held firmly in adjusted position without the necessity of providing openings in the snathe, and wherein the blade is so arranged that it is stronger at the heel than at any other point.

A further object is to provide an improved form of handle which may be connected to the snathe without change in the snathe, the connecting mechanism being in connection with the handle, and wherein the handle may be adjusted about the snathe as well as longitudinally thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the connection between the snathe and the blade,

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same,

Fig. 3 is a top plan view,

Fig. 4c is a perspective view of the heel of the blade. looking from below,

Fig. 5 is a similar view of the socket for the snathe,

Fig. 6 is a partial perspective view of the heel of the blade looking from above,

Figs. 7 and 8 are sections on the lines 77 and 8-8, respectively, of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 1.

In the present embodiment of the invention the snathe 1, which is of the usual shape and construction, has its large end slightly tapered as indicated at 2, and a split socket is provided for engaging the said end of the snathe, the socket comprising a cap 3, having a tapered interior for fitting the portion 2 of the snathe, and a split ring 4 integrally connected with the cap for connecting about the snathe.

The ring at one of its endsis provided with an eye 5, and the other end has a threaded stem 6, which is passed through the eye and is engaged by a nut 7 to clamp the socket on to the snathe. The cap of the socket is provided with a threaded stem 8,

extending longitudinally of the snathe and with a series of ratchet teeth 9 adjacent to the stem and extending on opposite sides thereof.

The ring 4: of the socket is provided with .a guideway or hasp 10, at the side adjacent to the ratchet teeth, and the blade 11 has the back edge thereof rolled over upon one face of the blade as indicated at 12 to form a reinforcing rib at the said back edge. This rib 12 is extended at the heel of the blade as indicated at 18, and the extended portion is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 14. The under surface of the extension 18 is provided with series 15 of ratchet teeth on opposite sides of the slot 14, and these teeth are adapted to engage the teeth 9 on the opposite sides of the stem 8 to hold the blade in adjusted position with respect to the snathe.

As shown in Fig. 8 the extension 13 of the rib 12 is provided with a depending flange 16 at the edge remote from the blade, and this flange fits down over the ends of the ratchet teeth to prevent outward movement of the blade away from the socket when in place. It will be noticed also from an inspection of this figure that that portion of the socket adjacent to the blade is flattened to fit the blade, and the blade has a shank 17 at the heel and adjacent to the cutting ed e of the blade.

This shank 17 is adapted to engage the guideway 10 as shown, and the shank fits loosely in the guideway to permit movement of the blade with respect to the socket. The stem 8 is engaged by a nut 18 and a washer is arranged between the nut and the upper face of the extension.

In use, the blade is engaged with the snathe by inserting the stem 8 through the slot 14 and engaging the shank 17 with the guideway 10. The ratchet teeth 15 fit against the ratchet teeth 9 and when the nut 18 is screwed down tightly the blade will be locked against angular movement in either direction with respect to the snathe. The blade may be easily adjusted to vary the angle by loosening the nut and moving the blade in the proper direction. The nut may be loosened sufficiently to permit the teeth to pass each other without disengaging the shank from the guideway and when the nut is screwed home the parts are firmly held in adjusted position.

An improved form of handle is shown in Figs. at and 9, the said handlebeing in the form of a hollow cylindrical body 19, having openings 20 for the sake of lightness and ventilation. At one end the handle is provided with a split ring 21, the ends of the ring having lugs 22 which are perforated and the perforations are engaged by a bolt 23. The improved handle may be engaged with the snathe by slipping the split ring 21 over the snathe as shown in Fig. 1, and when in adjusted. position the bolt of the nut 23 is tightened, thus firmly locking the handle to the snathe.

With the improved connection it is obvious that the snathe is not weakened by openings such as bolt or screw holes, the snathe being round and smooth throughout its length. The socket may be attached to any snathe, and should for instance a snathe become broken it is only necessary totransfer the socket to another snathe. Should the socket endo'f the snathe decay the rotten por tion may betrimmed off preserving the remainder of the snathe for use.

In addition the socket is rotatable on the snathe, permitting the entire blade to be adjusted angularly with respect to the snathe. The particular arrangement of the blade, namely, the reinforcing rib 12 and the extension 13, provides an extremely strong and well 'balanced'blade, wherein the heel of the blade is of greater strength than the blade itself. i

I claim I 1 1. In a scythe, thecombination with the Copies of this patentmay be cbtained'for jacentto the guideway,the-rib havingteeth cooperating with the teeth of the socket.

2. In a scythe, the-combination with the snatheand the-blade, of a clamping socket for engagingtheiends oi vt he snathe, and ha r ing .mea-ns i'on securing; it: in place around the snathe; the blade having; attheheel a lateral rib engagingythe end o fathe socket and, provided with a slot extending longi tudina'lly ofi the blade, the socketha ving; at

said end a threaded. stem: passing through the slot, 1 nutengagingthe stern, agguideway onzthe side wall: oithe socket and the blade havingza shank engagingsthe guide way, and interengaging; means for prevent- 1ng. movement; of the ilhivitli resp ect' lto the socket when the: nut is tightenedi CHARLES LAFE sMrri-r:

Witnessesm V i OWENVIVIGQUILLEN,

F. D. FALES.

five cents each, by'a'ddi ess'ing thef dommisslcnerfof i a tent s, Washington, D. G. p r 

